McDonald's Macros: Complete Nutrition Guide for Every Menu Item

McDonald’s isn’t exactly known for health food, but when you’re tracking macros, sometimes you need fast, cheap, and predictable. The good news? With 39,000+ locations worldwide and consistent nutrition data, McDonald’s can work for macro tracking when you know what to order.

This guide breaks down every McDonald’s menu item so you can make smart choices that fit your macros.

The McDonald’s Macro Challenge

Before diving in, understand what makes McDonald’s tricky:

• High sodium in almost everything
• Calorie-dense options that can blow your budget
• Limited protein-per-calorie compared to other fast food
• Fried items dominate the menu

But there are smart choices if you know where to look.

McDonald’s Burgers Macros

Burger	Calories	Protein (g)	Carbs (g)	Fat (g)
Hamburger	250	12	31	9
Cheeseburger	300	15	32	13
McDouble	400	22	33	20
Double Cheeseburger	450	25	34	24
Quarter Pounder with Cheese	520	30	42	26
Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese	740	48	43	42
Big Mac	550	25	45	30
McChicken	400	14	40	21
Filet-O-Fish	390	16	39	19

Best protein-to-calorie: McDouble (22g protein, 400 cal) Best total protein: Double Quarter Pounder (48g protein) Skip for macros: Big Mac (550 cal, only 25g protein due to bread ratio)

McDonald’s Chicken Macros

Item	Calories	Protein (g)	Carbs (g)	Fat (g)
4pc Chicken McNuggets	170	9	10	10
6pc Chicken McNuggets	250	14	15	15
10pc Chicken McNuggets	420	23	25	25
20pc Chicken McNuggets	830	46	50	50
Crispy Chicken Sandwich	470	26	45	20
Deluxe Crispy Chicken Sandwich	530	27	46	26
Spicy Crispy Chicken Sandwich	530	27	47	26
McChicken	400	14	40	21

Best chicken for macros: Crispy Chicken Sandwich (26g protein, 470 cal) Budget protein: 10pc McNuggets (23g protein, $5-6)

McDonald’s Breakfast Macros

Breakfast Item	Calories	Protein (g)	Carbs (g)	Fat (g)
Egg McMuffin	310	17	30	13
Sausage McMuffin	400	14	29	26
Sausage McMuffin with Egg	480	21	30	31
Bacon, Egg & Cheese Biscuit	460	17	38	26
Sausage Biscuit	460	11	36	30
Sausage Biscuit with Egg	530	18	37	34
Sausage Burrito	310	12	26	17
Hotcakes	580	9	101	15
Hotcakes with Sausage	780	17	103	33
Hash Browns	140	1	15	8
Fruit & Maple Oatmeal	320	6	64	5

Best breakfast for macros: Egg McMuffin (17g protein, 310 cal) Skip: Hotcakes (580 cal, only 9g protein)

McDonald’s Salads Macros

Salad (without dressing)	Calories	Protein (g)	Carbs (g)	Fat (g)
Side Salad	15	1	3	0
Southwest Grilled Chicken Salad	350	37	18	14
Bacon Ranch Grilled Chicken Salad	320	42	9	14

Dressings add significant calories:

Dressing	Calories	Fat
Ranch	200	21g
Caesar	190	18g
Southwest	100	4.5g
Low-Fat Balsamic	40	1.5g

Best salad: Bacon Ranch Grilled Chicken (42g protein, 320 cal) with low-fat balsamic (+40 cal)

McDonald’s Sides Macros

Side	Calories	Protein (g)	Carbs (g)	Fat (g)
Small Fries	230	3	29	11
Medium Fries	320	4	41	15
Large Fries	480	6	62	23
Apple Slices	15	0	4	0
Side Salad	15	1	3	0

Best side for macros: Apple slices or side salad (15 cal) Fries reality check: Medium fries add 320 empty calories

McDonald’s Sauces Macros

Sauce	Calories	Carbs	Fat
Ketchup packet	10	2g	0g
Mustard packet	5	0g	0g
Mayo packet	60	0g	7g
BBQ Sauce	45	10g	0g
Honey Mustard	60	8g	3g
Sweet & Sour	50	11g	0g
Hot Mustard	60	8g	3g
Tangy BBQ	45	10g	0g

Best low-cal sauces: Mustard (5 cal), Ketchup (10 cal) Watch out: Dipping sauces add 45-60 calories each

Best McDonald’s Orders by Goal

Best High-Protein McDonald’s Order

Protein Focus Meal

• 2 McDoubles (no bun if low-carb)
• Side Salad

Macros: 815 calories | 45g protein | 69g carbs | 40g fat

Or:

Chicken Protein Stack

• 10pc Chicken McNuggets
• Crispy Chicken Sandwich (no mayo)

Macros: 810 calories | 49g protein | 60g carbs | 41g fat

Best Low-Calorie McDonald’s Order (Under 500 Cal)

Lean Options

• Egg McMuffin
• Apple Slices
• Black Coffee

Macros: 325 calories | 17g protein | 34g carbs | 13g fat

Or:

Bacon Ranch Salad Meal

• Bacon Ranch Grilled Chicken Salad
• Low-Fat Balsamic Dressing
• Diet Drink

Macros: 360 calories | 42g protein | 12g carbs | 15g fat

Best Keto McDonald’s Order

Bunless Burgers

• 2 McDoubles (no bun, no ketchup)
• Side Salad (no croutons)
• Ranch dressing

Macros: ~600 calories | 44g protein | 8g carbs | 44g fat

Best Value Macro Order

Budget Protein

• 2 McDoubles from the value menu

Macros: 800 calories | 44g protein | 66g carbs | 40g fat Cost: ~$4-5

How to Customize McDonald’s Orders

To Maximize Protein:

• Order double meat on burgers
• Choose grilled chicken salads for best protein-to-calorie ratio
• Skip buns if you’re low-carb (saves 150+ calories)
• McDoubles are the best protein value on the menu

To Minimize Calories:

• Apple slices instead of fries (saves 200-450 calories)
• No mayo on chicken sandwiches (saves 100+ calories)
• Diet drinks instead of regular (saves 150-300 calories)
• Skip cheese (saves 50-70 calories per slice)
• Side salad instead of fries (saves 200+ calories)

To Reduce Carbs:

• Bunless burgers (saves 30-45g carbs)
• No ketchup (sugary, adds carbs)
• Side salad only (3g carbs)
• Grilled chicken salads (9-18g carbs)

McDonald’s Protein Per Dollar Analysis

Order	Protein	Est. Cost	Protein/$1
McDouble	22g	$2.19	10g
Double Cheeseburger	25g	$2.79	9g
10pc McNuggets	23g	$5.49	4.2g
Crispy Chicken Sandwich	26g	$5.99	4.3g
Quarter Pounder	30g	$6.49	4.6g
Egg McMuffin	17g	$4.49	3.8g

Best value: McDouble at 10g protein per dollar

McDonald’s vs Other Fast Food

Restaurant	Best Protein Option	Protein	Calories
McDonald’s	McDouble x2	44g	800
Chick-fil-A	12pc Grilled Nuggets	38g	200
Wendy’s	Dave’s Double (no bun)	48g	590
Taco Bell	Power Bowl - Chicken	26g	470
Chipotle	Chicken Bowl	54g	665

Verdict: McDonald’s is decent for budget protein but other chains offer better protein-to-calorie ratios.

McDonald’s Sodium Warning

McDonald’s is extremely high in sodium. A typical meal easily exceeds 1,500-2,500mg:

Item	Sodium (mg)
Big Mac	1,010
Quarter Pounder with Cheese	1,140
10pc McNuggets	900
Medium Fries	270
Egg McMuffin	750
Bacon Ranch Salad	1,070

If you’re watching sodium, McDonald’s should be an occasional choice, not a daily habit.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many calories are in a Big Mac?

A Big Mac has 550 calories with 25g of protein, 45g of carbs, and 30g of fat. It’s not the best protein-to-calorie ratio — a McDouble has similar protein (22g) for 150 fewer calories.

What is the healthiest thing at McDonald’s?

The healthiest macro-friendly options are:

• Egg McMuffin (310 cal, 17g protein)
• Bacon Ranch Grilled Chicken Salad (320 cal, 42g protein)
• Apple slices (15 cal) For pure protein efficiency, the Bacon Ranch Salad wins.

Is McDonald’s good for protein?

McDonald’s can work for protein in a pinch. The McDouble (22g protein, 400 cal) and Crispy Chicken Sandwich (26g protein, 470 cal) are decent. Grilled chicken salads offer the best protein-to-calorie ratio (42g for 320 cal).

Can I eat McDonald’s while cutting?

Yes, but choose carefully. The Egg McMuffin (310 cal) or a grilled chicken salad (320 cal) are reasonable. Skip fries, large sodas, and anything “large” or “Double.”

What’s the lowest calorie meal at McDonald’s?

A reasonable low-calorie meal: Egg McMuffin (310 cal) + Apple Slices (15 cal) + Black Coffee (5 cal) = 330 calories total with 17g of protein.

How do I eat keto at McDonald’s?

Order bunless burgers, skip the ketchup, and get a side salad instead of fries. Two McDoubles without buns have about 44g protein and 8g carbs.

The Bottom Line

McDonald’s isn’t ideal for macro tracking, but it can work in a pinch. The McDouble and Egg McMuffin offer the best value for protein, while grilled chicken salads provide the best protein-to-calorie ratio.

Key takeaways:

• McDouble is the best protein value (22g protein, $2)
• Bacon Ranch Grilled Chicken Salad has the best macros (42g protein, 320 cal)
• Egg McMuffin is the best breakfast choice (17g protein, 310 cal)
• Skip the fries — they’re 230-480 empty calories
• Always account for sauces (45-200 calories each)
• Sodium is extremely high — don’t eat McDonald’s daily

For occasional fast food, McDonald’s can fit your macros. Just order smart.

More Restaurant Guides:

• Chipotle Macros — The macro tracker’s favorite
• Chick-fil-A Macros — Better protein options
• All Restaurant Guides — Browse all dining guides